2 Kings 24

1 During Jehoiakim's rule, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia
invaded and took control of Judah. Jehoiakim obeyed Nebuchadnezzar for three
years, but then he rebelled.

2 At that time, the LORD started sending troops to rob and
destroy towns in Judah. Some of these troops were from Babylonia, and others
were from Syria, Moab, and Ammon. The LORD had sent his servants the prophets
to warn Judah about this,

3 and now he was making it happen. The country of Judah was
going to be wiped out, because Manasseh had sinned

4 and caused many innocent people to die. The LORD would not
forgive this.

5 Everything else Jehoiakim did while he was king is written
in The History of the Kings of Judah.

6 Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin became king.

7 King Nebuchadnezzar defeated King Neco of Egypt and took
control of his land from the Egyptian Gorge all the way north to the Euphrates
River. So Neco never invaded Judah again.

8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king of
Judah, and he ruled only three months from Jerusalem. His mother Nehushta
was the daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem.

9 Jehoiachin disobeyed the LORD, just as his father Jehoiakim
had done.

10 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia sent troops to attack Jerusalem
soon after Jehoiachin became king.

11 During the attack, Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived at the
city.

12 Jehoiachin immediately surrendered, together with his mother
and his servants, as well as his army officers and officials. Then Nebuchadnezzar
had Jehoiachin arrested. These things took place in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's
rule in Babylonia.

13 The LORD had warned that someday the treasures would be
taken from the royal palace and from the temple, including the gold objects
that Solomon had made for the temple. And that's exactly what Nebuchadnezzar
ordered his soldiers to do.

14 He also led away as prisoners the Jerusalem officials, the
military leaders, and the skilled workers--ten thousand in all. Only the very
poorest people were left in Judah.

15 Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon, along with his
mother, his wives, his officials, and the most important leaders of Judah.

16 He also led away seven thousand soldiers, one thousand skilled
workers, and anyone who would be useful in battle.

17 Then Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jehoiachin's uncle Mattaniah
king of Judah and changed his name to Zedekiah.

18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he was appointed
king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother Hamutal
was the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.

19 Zedekiah disobeyed the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.

20 It was Zedekiah who finally rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.
The people of Judah and Jerusalem had made the LORD so angry that he finally
turned his back on them. That's why these horrible things were happening.

The Contemporary English Version c1995 by the American
Bible Society.

Selected texts provided for use with the Amos: Hypertext Bible Commentary